Read Online Unscheduled Departure by T.M. Franklin - Free Book Online
Authors: T.M. Franklin
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to board. We figured our best shot of switching them back was to get both Finns in the same spot —Lindsay said the veil must be thinner there. It was good thing the incoming flight was landing at the same gate, or I didn't know what we would have done.
The airport was quiet at this time of night, and of those dazedly making their way around, nobody seemed to notice us. No one cared. We were just another couple of travelers rushing to get to the gate on time.
"Are you there?" My Finn's voice crackled out of the phone. "Ro, there aren't that many people left on the plane. I'm going to have to get off soon."
"I know," I replied through gasping breaths. I really needed to get in better shape. "I'm almost there."
"I don't understand—"
"I know you don't," I said, sliding around a corner. "Please, just trust me. In about two minutes, I need you to be in the same spot where you got my text."
He sighed. I knew he was tired.
"Finn?"
"Yeah, okay. I'll be there," he replied. "And you'll explain all of this when I see you, right?"
"I promise."
"Are you sure this is going to work?" Other Finn asked. I glanced at him.
Yes.
No.
"It'll work." We rounded a corner and I checked the time on my phone.
12:42. The screen wavered.
"Finn?" I clutched the phone to my ear desperately.
"I'm here. I'm waiting for you."
Waiting for me. Other Finn was watching me closely. I felt torn—guilty. I squeezed his hand and turned my attention to the gate signs overhead.
16...17...17a...18. Now for the fun part.
"How are you going to get past the desk?" Both Finns asked simultaneously. I fought an overwhelming urge to burst out in hysterical laughter.
"Good question." I all but slammed into the desk, startling the flight attendant focused on her computer. She pressed an open palm against her chest, fingernail clicking on her name tag. Hi, I'm Rita. Come Fly with Me! Rita opened her mouth to speak, but I beat her to it.
"I'm sorry," I said in a rush, willing my breathing to slow, my heart rate to calm, my smile to look a little more reassuring, a little less frenzied and maniacal.
The attendant's eyes widened and she took a nervous step backward.
Less maniacal.
"Rowan?" I wasn't sure which Finn spoke but I focused my attention on Rita..
"I'm so sorry," I said. "I think I dropped my bracelet when I got off the plane from . . ." I surreptitiously looked up at the arrivals board. ". . . Bismarck."
Rita's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Lost and found is—"
"I checked already. No luck." I tried to look pathetic. I was pretty sure it wasn't a long trip. "Please, I just need to get on the jetway and look for it. I'll be quick, I promise," I said, not giving her a chance to interrupt me. "It was my grandmother's and it really means so much to me."
The woman still didn't look convinced, but she grabbed a pad of paper and a pen. "Perhaps you can describe the bracelet and I'll ch—"
"No!"
Rita jumped, her jaw twitching. I really needed to calm down.
The line of passengers emerging from the jetway doors slowed to a trickle. There wasn't much time left.
"I need to look," I said, forcing another pleading smile. "It's so small . . . delicate. You have to know what you're looking for."
"I'm sor—"
"Please. It'll only take a minute!"
Rita hesitated, almost like she was considering my request, then an older couple approached the desk, tickets in hand, and her face hardened.
"I'm sorry, but I can't allow unticketed passengers past the gate." She dismissed me by turning to the couple. "May I help you?"
I shoved my way in front of them, muttering apologies. "Please," I said, not averse to begging, "I need to get on that jetway."
"Miss, if you don't step back, I'm going to have to call Security," Rita replied. Another flight attendant, male and about six feet tall, took that moment to appear and glower at me over her shoulder.
I glanced through the open doors at the last few passengers disembarking from the plane.
"Rowan?"
I turned to walk
The airport was quiet at this time of night, and of those dazedly making their way around, nobody seemed to notice us. No one cared. We were just another couple of travelers rushing to get to the gate on time.
"Are you there?" My Finn's voice crackled out of the phone. "Ro, there aren't that many people left on the plane. I'm going to have to get off soon."
"I know," I replied through gasping breaths. I really needed to get in better shape. "I'm almost there."
"I don't understand—"
"I know you don't," I said, sliding around a corner. "Please, just trust me. In about two minutes, I need you to be in the same spot where you got my text."
He sighed. I knew he was tired.
"Finn?"
"Yeah, okay. I'll be there," he replied. "And you'll explain all of this when I see you, right?"
"I promise."
"Are you sure this is going to work?" Other Finn asked. I glanced at him.
Yes.
No.
"It'll work." We rounded a corner and I checked the time on my phone.
12:42. The screen wavered.
"Finn?" I clutched the phone to my ear desperately.
"I'm here. I'm waiting for you."
Waiting for me. Other Finn was watching me closely. I felt torn—guilty. I squeezed his hand and turned my attention to the gate signs overhead.
16...17...17a...18. Now for the fun part.
"How are you going to get past the desk?" Both Finns asked simultaneously. I fought an overwhelming urge to burst out in hysterical laughter.
"Good question." I all but slammed into the desk, startling the flight attendant focused on her computer. She pressed an open palm against her chest, fingernail clicking on her name tag. Hi, I'm Rita. Come Fly with Me! Rita opened her mouth to speak, but I beat her to it.
"I'm sorry," I said in a rush, willing my breathing to slow, my heart rate to calm, my smile to look a little more reassuring, a little less frenzied and maniacal.
The attendant's eyes widened and she took a nervous step backward.
Less maniacal.
"Rowan?" I wasn't sure which Finn spoke but I focused my attention on Rita..
"I'm so sorry," I said. "I think I dropped my bracelet when I got off the plane from . . ." I surreptitiously looked up at the arrivals board. ". . . Bismarck."
Rita's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Lost and found is—"
"I checked already. No luck." I tried to look pathetic. I was pretty sure it wasn't a long trip. "Please, I just need to get on the jetway and look for it. I'll be quick, I promise," I said, not giving her a chance to interrupt me. "It was my grandmother's and it really means so much to me."
The woman still didn't look convinced, but she grabbed a pad of paper and a pen. "Perhaps you can describe the bracelet and I'll ch—"
"No!"
Rita jumped, her jaw twitching. I really needed to calm down.
The line of passengers emerging from the jetway doors slowed to a trickle. There wasn't much time left.
"I need to look," I said, forcing another pleading smile. "It's so small . . . delicate. You have to know what you're looking for."
"I'm sor—"
"Please. It'll only take a minute!"
Rita hesitated, almost like she was considering my request, then an older couple approached the desk, tickets in hand, and her face hardened.
"I'm sorry, but I can't allow unticketed passengers past the gate." She dismissed me by turning to the couple. "May I help you?"
I shoved my way in front of them, muttering apologies. "Please," I said, not averse to begging, "I need to get on that jetway."
"Miss, if you don't step back, I'm going to have to call Security," Rita replied. Another flight attendant, male and about six feet tall, took that moment to appear and glower at me over her shoulder.
I glanced through the open doors at the last few passengers disembarking from the plane.
"Rowan?"
I turned to walk
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